I'm working on my second siocast TAG - the Marut seems pretty nice. Some mold lines, but they were easy enough to be removed (with knife and sanding foam). The breakdown of the model is also sensible, and the parts fit well so far. Compared to the Gator I've been putting together before (and still trying to paint now), the difference is immense. As if they were made by different companies. The Gator, as a model, is bad. The way its torso was designed makes me wish whoever was responsible was already fed to the Gator ;) I mean, the torso is composed of the center-front (with head molded in), two side pieces, which can be attached to the lower back-with-leg, and this is the moemtn when you can attach the backplate (otherwise the lower back won't fit in). Many, many pieces that can go wrong (and in mine case, did. The back plate doesn't really fit). Given that Marut was an earlier release, I really don't know what to think of that (perhaps save for the chance that Gator was designed before the Marut). Why? I mean, what is the advantage that makes you have such a preference?
So... I got my Bakunin pack and with it - my first CB siocast miniature... I'm... not too enthusiastic. This material is capable of some very crisp details, but also significant warping and roughness, it just looks like the quality of details is very inconsistent. Like, this knee here is pretty messed up and deformed. And the shoulder pads have some significant roughness on the surface and the edges, that I'll see how I can remove (extra fine sanding paper, razor etc). I think I'll experiment with cleaning these messes rather than ask CB for a replacement. And I'll toss the tabs in different solvents, to see how will the material react. Edit: Second image as imgur link, because the forum is behaving weird https://imgur.com/a/moPmkvA
For my, the only sandpaper wich works was 1000 one, bigger grain make some dirt (my english level isnt enought to describe the dirty siocast produces when sanding) Cheer
Apply superglue and sand the rough zone. It should "solidify" the "tiny hairs" and help with sanding.
An new pretty video about the moldmaking workflow with siocast. Probably the same as at CB0 SiOCAST moldmaking workflow
Well, more high quality Siocast. This time I got a Road Bot and didn't even check to see what it was made of ahead of ordering it....
Ugh, this is ugly. I am sorry. In contrast I have 2 roadbots, and they come without any problem. Smooth surfaces without defects and nice details all over. Honestly, so far all my siocast products have been nice. I suggest you use the 'quality control' code and reach of to CB for a replace?
That´s something i experienced aswell. I see all the (partially) realy bad products from people online, with realy significant quality problems. I feel very sad about, especially cause some seem to have exceptionally bad luck with their pulls, whilest others (like me, with mutliple siocast products) did not have any outstanding problems with them which could not be solved with a sharp blade or would not appear with metal. Having this option with CB is nice and fine and in need, but I understand everyone who finds that annoying to contact support for nearly every siocast figure they bought.
I've already contacted CB and they are going to send a replacement, however I still think it needs to be called out.
Why, it has nothing to do with the poor quality of the piece. CB shouldn't have passed the piece through QA. It's bad. Now I have to wait for it to ship through international mail to get replacement. I still need to go over the rest of it, and I need to take photos of and submit for my Shakush which has it's share of problems. The material is bad, the casting is bad, and people should be aware of it without any sugar coating. I owe CB nothing.
To be fair, there is no need for @AmPm to mention that, cause we all know how CB´s policy in cases of missing/damaged pieces is, so (for me) it was never in question, that CB will replace it. Non the less it is something worth mentioning, that there is a product not completly as someone´s right it is to expect, meaning: a non-damaged, perfectly produced product. That is what every costumer has the right to recive if payed hard dollar for. Everything else, even if it is not complicated (at based on my experience it is NEVER complicated), is extra work for the costumer, and there for not wishful to happen. Someone can criticize how it is put in words and how it is communicated, but at the end of the day there is a costumer paying for a product that did not turn out as expected. I like CB as a company very much and (in my experience) they do a lot for their costumers (especially a lot more than I a) "expect" and b) did experience from other companies I spent WAY MORE MONEY at), but there is nothing wrong to point out faults, especially in such an objectivly clear matter as "quality of a product / damaged products".
This - at this point buying anything made by CB in Siocast runs a fairly high (which means too high) risk of having to deal with this entire procedure. It costs the customers time, effort and concern. All the people minimizing this issue surely enjoy eating at a restaurant and getting served a cold dish or a drink with a fly in it. "There's no problem, just tell them and they will give you a new one! There's no way to be certain the next one won't be spoiled either, but you can exchange that as well, so what's the problem again?". CB owes us quality for the money. We don't owe them the money or the time or the effort to follow their procedures, just because they can't be bothered to properly QA their products.
Thanks for sharing these and of course for sharing them with the company, this is important to improve the quality control and the quality of the products.
I agree. It's important for CB so they can improve processes and understand where frustration comes from. I'm going to go over it and my Shakush more tonight i think, as well as the new Ayyar which I hear is a superior material and cast.
So I went through and assembled the LE Ayyar. It is superior in literally every way to Siocast. Easy to assemble, minimal cleanup required, standard tools worked great. Details are crisp, no warping, no weird seams, no bubbles, no voids, etc. Basically none of the issues I've had with Siocast. I still prefer metal, but will rate the Chinese PVC blend as an 8/10, not quite as good as metal or GW style HIP but really close. I wouldn't be super happy paying the same prices for this as for metal or HIP, but if CB can use it to offset their huge price increases recently it would be a good alternative.
